Lubricant trap



H. LISKINNER'. LUBRICANT R-AP. APPLICATION FILED NOV.- I, 1.920,-

Lsm. Pa I l f muted Nov. M, 19221 RALPH L. sxINNnRf; or sAcRAMEnTo,

CALIFORNIA.

LUBRICANT TRAP. i 1

Application flied November 1,1920. 4Serial No. 4421,104sv`v i T 0 all lwhom vit/may concern:

I operations to be vtinuously fed to any Be it `known that I, RALPH-L. SKrNNnn,

a citizen ofthe United States, and a resi-V dent, ofSacramento, in the county of Sacramento'and State of California, have 1nvented anew and usefulLubricantTrap,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention is a lubricant trap and has articular` reference. to theA lubricant trap illustrated and described, but not claimed in my copending application entitled Lubricant feed for internal combustion engines, Serial 'No. 421,105, filed November 1, 1920.

In addition to the generic objects 4set mentioned application,

to provide a liquid trap wherein fluids of different specific gravity will be separated, the heavier fluid being trapped and at predetermined intervals allowed to -iiow to a reservoir while the lighter fluid is consuitable oint. v- Y The invention further yprovides a lubricant trap for use in internal combustion engines and includes a filter chamber and a float chamber, he former being adapted to have communication with the lubricant supply and theintake manifold of an internal combustion engine while the latter vchamber is also adapted to have commun'.`

cation with the lubricant supply and is equipped with a float actuated mechanism controlling communicationv between the filter chamber and iloat chamber so that the lubricant upon reaching a predetermined height in the iioat chamber will operate the float operated mechanism to sever communication between the two-chambers and at the same` time permit the lubricant trapped inthe float chamber to return to the lubricant pan.

v YVith the preceding and other objects and advantages in mind, the invention consists in the Vnovel combination of elements, construction and arrangement of parts and hereinafter more fully described, claimed-and illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is -a vertical sectional view of the device; and, Figure 2` is a takeny on-line 2-2 of The invention as sists of a iioat chamber 5 and a filter cham- -Figure 1.

ber 6, the latter being provided with a con.

horizontal sectional view-` shaped lever is reduced to practice con.

cave bottom or *division wall received l f upper end of the float chamber -land formedy with a circumferential flange' 8 held between similar flanges 9 and chambers respectively,

the float andifilterv. these parts being se- Y cured together by bolts or other fasten' ingslO. chamber nection with the intake manifold of au internal combustion engine (not shown) vor other means of vacuum supply so that normally a vacuum will be produced in the filter and float chambers. l

An inlet pipe 12 which may'lead to the lubricant pan or have communication with the various cylinders of the engine at the sides thereof,y as illustrated in my vcopending application above set forth," leads from the top of the filter chamber.

A drain pipe 13 leads from the bottom of the float chamber 5 and is adapted' to have communication with the engine lubricant pan or casing (not shown).4 A ball valve 14 is arranged in this pipe 13 and is normally drawn up'against its seat by the vacuum in the float chamber.

A double wall reticulated separator or ,filter 15 is mounted in the filter chamber 6 and its walls diverge toward the upper vend thereof so that anyu mixture of lubricant and` gaseous fuel which may have been drawn fro'm the lubricant pan or the engine cylinders-,with the` lubricant will be thoroughly filtered, and due to the fact that the lubricant is of greater specific gravity than the gaseous fuel the gaseous fuels will bedrawnvinto the intake 'manifold (not shown) by way ofthe pipe 11.

A float 16 is mounted in the float chamber 5 and secured to the'upper end thereof is a pair of Vupstanding ears or Leading fromthe top of the filter extends a horizontally disposed bracket 2() Gris a pipe 11 adapted'for con? bearings- 17 in which the extremities of a U-shaped bifurcated at one end and terminating in upstandin'g bearings 21 in whichV the intermediate part of the U-sliaped lever or bail 18 is pivotally mounted.

A normally horizontally disposed T- designated 22 and is provided with ears 2.3 at its inner end which are a1'- 'ranged upon oppositel sides of the post 19 and pivotally secured thereto.

A second T-shaped lever 24de pivoted in Y; and loosely engage 15 stops or abutments32 at theflower end of the -post 19 concentric with the pivotal-mounting of lever22and exi T-shaped levers 22v and 24 are contractile springs25 whichserve to lswing these levers upwardly-or downwardly as they'pass by the pivot center.

' The bottom of the filter chamber, that is the division .wall .7, -is Aprovided with `two openings or valve valves 27', the'lower ends of 'which-rest on the T-shaped lever 22 in' termediate its ends. Communicating with an air vent 28-extendin valve c mber 29 vin which a valve 30 is slidable to open. and lclosethe valve port in its' The ste-m of thisl valve projects downwardly through the valveA casing v and is formed with an enlarged the intermediate reduced ortion of the 31 passing loosely throng `a hole in the free end of the T-shaped lever 22.

vDisposed between the bearings 21 of the bracket 20 and fixed lto and rockablewith the middle section of the bail or lever, 18 isa notched disk 33 in` which notch' the free end of the T-shaped lever 24 resides. In operation, 'the lubricant is- 'drawn through the pipe 12 by the vacuum produced, in thefilter chamber Aand is discharged into the latter-betwenthe divergent walls'of the alter 15.

Therheavierl products, such as .lubricating oil,will gravitate to the bottom of the filte'i` chamber and lflow down struction "isparticularly' elicient iff for any reason ,the-valve 14 should-leak some air.

Assuming the parts' of the lubricantl trap to bein th-erelative positions shown in 1 `ig v valve 14 vdrawn up aga-inst its seat bythe vacuum in the cham-A ure 1, but with the 'ball ber 5, thev lubricant flowing intothe chamber will cause the float 16 to rise which through' the medium'off the U-shapedlever or bail 18 will rotatec the notched disk 33 and the latter in turn engaging the T-shaped lever 24 swings the same upwardly at an angle disthe lever -22 to. be

posing the s'rings '25 at a point above the axis of both' eve-'rs f22 and 24.

The contraction of these springs will cause also swung upwardlyv -at an angle 'lifting`the1valve 3 0' from its seat to establish communication between the atmosports' 26 having associated up through the filter chamber 6 is af part 31 terminatingin itsopposite ends,

part

Avcant is discharged"throughthe. ipe 13'in`te1f-- greswiththe Y I A'cl v .-tect byLettersPatent-of the United States, into the float cham-is 7 i ber through one .of the vtwo valve ports while .the lighter products will be drawn upwardly into the intake lmanifold by way vof the "i trolled outletjport, a pair of normally hori` zontally disposed levers disposed within -the :rality of :v one of the levers operated upon the ascen -openings -ga pair casing' alici fhavmgtheir inner ends pivoted valves'27 shall wardly 4to closed move simultaneously upcausing-the dropping of theb alli-valve 14 to 'posi-tion',v thus `cutting ofi' 1 4the vacuum'action 4on'the float chamber' 5,-

open posi-tion', and allowing'the trapped lu-' action' is-faci'litated 'by reason-'of the Connection of such lower"chamberwiththe outerl airatthiS tim i IWhen''suliicientjof the lubrieanthas thusv been discharged tof permit the 1loat .todescend s'uliciently to ca use-y the'springs 25 to pass by the pi-vot center ofthe evers, such springs will contract andV by rof ports-'26,

cause the opening. ofV the two -valv 26 and thev closing of thevalvelf which the fvalvef 30 is A1as :sxjiiated-.

cient thereof has been it will be delivered in the manne above through'thepipe'gl.

ln is to be noted that when* hlfthflubrii* mitten'tly5 this in nopwayjv ter presence ofthe vacuum diti per chamber`6. Itis lto be understood th and arrangementof without departing from the spirit of the-inf Havin'gffthus described alm as new a'd desire to secure jandlpro'- 7 1 devi@ 0f the character described corn- PIISiHg a" Casing ports and further provided with a valve concasmg and having their inner ends pivoted,

coil springs connetnglfthe reje ends of the levers together and normally'disposedto one side of the ivotpointof lthe levers; a plu.-

'atfthlfoi'm fof invention herein shown' and-described is to". V be takenas a'preferred example l{of the same, fand .thatya'rious changes inthe-shape,` size parts may be resorted to ve's'i operati-"ely COIlIlectede with;

andcontrolling the inlet PQ f with 0n In. 'the'fupi roo having a plurality of inlet openings,' the valves being so arranged -withl` j 81% 'a float 1n the casing, and-a rotatable e ement t and descent of the float and adapted levers to rock th the other -lever vto `actuate toengage the other of said theivalves.

.2. A vv deviceof the class described coniprislng a casing having a of levers plurality lof inlet to swing about ahorizontal'axis, contractile arranged in the e respectto-each other-as to close certain'of. v-the openings 'while the .others are` o esame whereby to actuate -vers together and normally disposed to one sis chamber supported thereon', lthe bottom of side of the pivot point, a float in the ca sing, a bail p-ivotally connected With the iloat, a supported bracket having pivotal connection with one end of the bail, a notched disk fixed to rotate With said end of the bail-and adapted tofengage one of the levers to rockA the same on its pivot and thereby! change the relative position 'of the springs, and a plurality of valves operatively connected With`one of the levers and controlling the openings, the valves being arranged so that certain of the same are open While vthe others are closed.-

3. A device of the character described comprising a casing having inlet ports,A a.

vertical post supported in the casing, a-pair of T-shapedlevers pivoted to the post, a plurality of valves operatively connected With one of the levers and controlling the inlet openings, the valves being so arranged as to close certain of the vopenings While the others are open, coil springs connecting the free ends of the T-shaped levers and dis-4 posed to one side of the pivot point of the same, anoutstanding bracket carried bythe post,"a 'U-shaped bailjournaled in the bracket, a trip element fixed to the latter adapted for engagement With the adjacent T-shapedlever, and a. ioat in the casing and having operative connection With the extremities of the U-shaped bail.

4. A lubricant trap comprising in combination a closed casing having a division- Wall dening upper and lower chambers thereinand provided With a pair of valveports, said upper chamber being constructed to have connection With the lubricant supply of an internal-combustion engine and with a vacuum-producing means to create a vacuum in both chambers When said division-Wall valve-ports are open, said loW'er chamber having a valve-port connected to the outer air, a vacuum-controlled dischargevalve tocontrol the delivery of the oil from said lower chamber, a float in said lower chamber, and valves controlled by said float to close said divisions-*Wall valve-ports and open said outer-air valve-port When the iioat reaches a predetermined'heightaand to open said division-Wall portsand close said outerair port upon descent of the ioat to a certain point, whereby the liquid in the -lovver chamber is discharged therefrom intermittently Without substantial eect on the vacuum in 'the upper chamber.

"5.' A device of the character described comprising a float chamber andY a filter the float chamber being provided with an outlet opening, the filter chamber being provided With inlet and outlet portsand also provided With an opening in its bottom, an air duct extending through the filter chamber, a reticulated filter elementin said chamber, valves controlling the lopening inthe"A bottom of the Afilter chamber and. the Iair. duct, a pivoted element operatively\, conv nectedvvith both valves andthe second piv-l oted4 lever, contractile 'springs connecting the free ends ofthe levers, a float -i'n the -lubricant chamber and an element rotated A bythe rise and fall of the 'float and adapted to engage one vof the levers whereby bothlevers Will-be swung to a position to simultaneously open one valve and close'the other and a check valve controlling the passage oi lubricant from said chamber and normally seated to prevent the .escape of lubricant o l' 6. A liquid separator and trap` compris-Q ing a" iioat chamber having a valve controlled outl'et, a lter chamber supported thereon and having a port communicating With the iioat chamber, the lfilter chamber being also provided With a liquid inlet port and an outlet port communicating With a source of vacuum adapted to draw,l the lighter products from the ilter chamber and also to normally retain the valve in the outlet in the-float chamber in closed position, a reticulated filter disposed vertically in the filter chamber, an air duct communicating With the loat chamber, a pair of normally horizontally `disposedlevers pivoted at a common point, a valve controlling the port in the filter-chamber and loosely supported in one of said levers, a reciprocable valve controlling the air duct and having loose connection With said lever, a ioat in the..-

on the rise and fall of the float, springs con` necting the free ends of both levers adapted to rock the levers to simultaneously open one valveand `close the other upon actuation of said lever by the notched disk, the valve in the outlet in the float chamber being. returned to open position to permit the escape of the trapped liquid upon the moving of the valve controlling said port to closed' position. i

RALPH L SKINNER. f 

